Plural refrigerated compartments with condensate disposal means



C. H. WURTZ PLURAL REFRIGERATED COMPARTMENTS WITH CONDENSATE DISPOSAL MEANS Filed May 10, 1952 INVENTOR. Clifford H.

Wurfz Patented Mar. 16, 1954 [TED PATENT OFFICE 7 2,672,027 iLURhhREFBIGlZKATED' eemieemms- WITH CONDENS'ATE DISPOSAL 'Cliif'oi'fi fl v flakwooms Ohio; assig-nor to; General Motors: Gorpo'rat-iom. Dayton; Ohio;v a corp oration: of- Delaware Application-Merit, 1952; Serial No: 287,140

1 a Thisinvention relates" to refrigerating apparatus and particularly to the constructiom'ot a ref-rigeratorofthe multiple difierent" temperatur q compartment variety; r I go na-a able difiiculty h'ae Beenexperined m' properly insulating a rer'r geremr: cabinet having separate compartments therein maintainedat Qifierent temperaturesjrelative to one another; This aimmilty has piegented itgelfdue-to the race that it has been'attemptedftoemploy' unpackage'd (ii-substantially loose insulating material for insulatin'g'; the compartments. For example a household refrigerator cabinet wherein one liner forms a; freezing or-froznfood storage compart mentand; another liner tomes-anunfrozen food storage compartment the-low teinperatiire of a reirigerant evaporator; of a'rfrigeratingsysteni; surrounding the liner oftheirozen food; 6am-- partment causes ainoutside the cabinet to ilnfil-j trate the space or. chamber about thefrozen fpod compartment'containing the insulating material: Consequently moisture in the infiltrated air con'-' denses, in the form of froet cn-ce, ponpheevep orator and outer wall surfaces of the liner ofithe frozen food compartment. It" foilowsf thereior that moisture in the form of; frostfor ice accumu l'ates on the evaporator andexterior wagll' sjirfaces? offthe liner of the frozen fooil'jco npartinent and permeates in'to unpackaged'or substantially loose insulating. material .v about this compartment; Under certain I conditions] the" permeability of moisture, 'into' the. unpaokaged. or suh'stantia11$;

loose insulating material'cans'es diffusion o f'frjost therein to such anextent that substantially the entire thickness. ofiunpackaged or loose insular tion,. between the liner of; the frozen, .food' com-1 partment and; the cabinet outer. Walls,v is. filled Withfrost-or Snowil'ikia crystals." H 1 .It. is now customarynot to'defros't the evapora tor which cools the interior of the froznfood w -fit n (i -mu tip e o ertm ire r mtors anclit'o' recommen'dthatfrostaccurn l 'tedjo'n the'ins'id'e o'f.jth is domriart nt scraped were i l Q91 9 i h efii'eer t rs ie r cream storage and di'spensing; cabinets; In spite of thefaot'that the' freezing evaporatoremployed o @9 the zen. i ddimn m t is,\fl t fie de 112: P 1 1 66; we a rp enemas times xi l're'nt this evaporator will} lie frosted;

7 Claims (01. 62-103) storms 'and the like; In eithereven't theftelfifieri ature :of the-evaporator of the: refrigerating: eyse temutilized to-coo'l tne frozenfood compartment will increase above: 3'2" F. and the layer frost or diffused Snow-like crystals" within the in'sulafiing material surrounding this cor'npar-tm'e'nt will thaw'and' melt; Melting-hf th frost or'snow-like crystals results in water h'eingtrapped in the Space between memn ranu outer 'wall's oftlie rejfri'g'erat'or cabinet; occupied by meinsmanne' material; This water in addition to' causing serious damage to inner surra'c'eeor 'meniet rwaue of the refrigerator cabinet, due tmqorrosion: and ru'stingthereof, also reacts With the "composition .of the unpackaged' insulating material irr 'suczhya manner as to create a stench when emitted from between thcabinet wane intotl 1'e mom'- containing the refrigerator oabiii'efi. For the 'e reasons I contemplatethe construction offa two cornpartinenttwo ternperatui'd refrigeratorbahin'et wherein air infiltratingthe insulating s'pace orchanibers abouta lo temperature-friihg or frozen fooq' conipartinent' annqtentemr per-me -j are the n ul t on disposed ere n and wherein anymoisture aocurnulated ih theforn o ffice frost or' snow 1ike cry'st alein the space containing insulating material will" be araii'l d tfilf'rdifi tb prevent its damaging the refrigerator-caloinet or treating n emit n 'st 9 3 3 b r s i d the evaporator 'einplloyedito coolflth'e frozen foogl o a n b q me q i'd ifi lly ine fe i t6 continuously produce temperatures-below 32F; An object oiiny inyention is to providean rn; pro ved' mechanical refrigeratorf vilhioh;can; be manufactured atflow cost. and whioh 'will oter-1 come difficulties resulting from; prior. imprnl ly constructedrefrigerators... V r v v I Another object oimy inventiont-is -to mwgeg;

refrigerator having a'rfrozen food compartment cooled by av freezing; evaporatonandan: uninozen food storage compartment. cooled; bya: frosting: and" defrosting evaporator'witlr means fo'rrdirectze ing and draining any moisture accumulated; in theformof frost dr 'ice' about the freezing evaph rater-into the unfrozen food coin'p'tr mejniifihaf out or th 'inie'hy way of aconventional outleteeeei e new *ee a neie ree wherein an open top food compartment forming liner supports another liner forming a freezing compartment thereabove and wherein provision is made for conducting water from the space occupied by insulating material about the freezing compartment into the food compartment therebelow.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a multiple compartment refrigerator cabinet having my invention embodied therein; and

Figure 2 is a broken fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view of the refrigerator shown in Figure 1 and is taken on the line 22 thereof.

Referring now to the drawings I have shown in Figure 1 thereof a refrigerator cabinet, generally represented by the reference character l0, having metal outer walls or panels H and an open top metal liner |2 (see Figure 2) spaced from the outer cabinet walls and forming an unfrozen food storage compartment l4 in the lower portion of cabinet l0. Unpackaged or unbagged substantially loose insulating material I6 is disposed in the space between outer cabinet walls H and liner 2 about the bottom and upright sides of compartment I4. Means for cooling the interior of compartment I4 is provided and this means is in the form of a plate-like sheet metal evaporator l1 within the compartment and secured in spaced relation to the rear wall of liner l2 by suitable spacers and the screws I8. Evaporator IT is a frosting and defrosting evaporator and maintains the temperature of compartment |4-above 32 F. Any suitable or conventional method of or appartus for causing defrosting of evaporator I! may be employed. A long narrow open ended trough I9 may be mounted below evaporator IT for catching defrost water therefrom and for conveying this water over to rear corners of compartment M where it may flow downwardly over liner l2 and out of compartment .|4 to a suitable drain or water vaporizer (not shown). 1

The open top of liner I2 is disposed a substantial distance below the outer top wall of cabinet 1. A second metal liner 2|, having an opening in the front thereof, is located above the open top of liner l2 and has its top, sides and back walls spaced inwardly of the outer walls ll of cabinet Ill. This liner 2| forms another food storage compartment 22 in the upper portion of cabinet M. A freezing evaporator in the form of a conduit 23 provides refrigerant evaporating passages around the frozen food compartment 22'since this conduit is wrapped or coiled around the liner 2| and is secured in intimate thermal contact therewith. This evaporator 23 is adapted to maintain the interior of compartment 22 well below 32 F. at all times. The evaporators I1 and 23 may be connected in closed circuit relation with a refrigerant translating device of a refrigerating system or evaporator I! may be in the form of a refrigerant evaporating portion of a. closed secondary refrigerating system rendered effective by the temperature of evaporator 23. Such arrangements are now common and well known to those skilled in the art and for this reason no further exemplification of the type of refrigerating system employed to cool the present multiple tempera.

tured compartment refrigerator is necessary. Insulation in bag or package form is disposed in the space between liner 2| and the cabinet outer walls IL This bagged insulation comprises glass or mineral wool 26 hermetically sealed within flexible packages or casings such as the bags 21 of some suitable plastic material. I have found that these bags can be made of polyethylene or polyvinylidene chloride which prevents breathing of air into or out of the insulation disposed therein. The surfaces of bags 21, containing the insulation 26, are closely pressed against the conduits 23 of the freezing evaporator and against the back wall of liner 2| It is of course desirable to block access of moisture to freezing evaporator 23 as much as possible and to prevent any moisture from entering the bagged insulation. However it is a production impossibility. without involving great expense, to prevent the infiltration of some air and moisture to the cold surface of evaporator 23 and the outer surfaces of liner 2|.

The edges of liner 2| at the open front thereof are secured in any suitable or conventional manner to a plastic or the like insulating collar 25 which has its top and sides secured to the cabinet outer metal walls A door 30, suitably hinged to collar 25, normally closes the access opening or open front of compartment 22. Another door 28 extends substantially from the top to the bottom of cabinet I!) at the front thereof and normally closes the access opening or open front of the cabinet. A trough 29 provided along the bottom of collar 25 catches any moisture which tends to collect upon and drip from door 30. This trough 29 has an outlet opening leading into a small funnel-like elbow conduit 3| employed to convey drip water from trough 29 onto the side walls of liner l2 from where it may flow to the drain opening in the bottom of compartment M. A bracket 32, formed of low heat conductive metal, in the rear portion of cabinet H! has its one end secured to liner 2| in any suitable or conventional manner and has its other or lower end secured, by a screw 33, to the top edge of liner l2. It is to be understood that any number of such brackets 32 may be employed as are necessary to support liner 2| together with the weight of contents stored in compartment 22 and that these low heat conductive brackets may, if desired, be formed of rigid insulating material. For example other brackets 32 may be secured to the sides of liner 2| and the sides of liner l2. A metal baflle member 35 is also attached to the upper edge of liner l2 by the screws 33 and this bafile extends outwardly from liner I2 upwardly at an angle for a purpose to be presently described. The baffle 36 extends around three sides of cabinet l0 and forms a divider between the insulation |6 about compartment I l and the bagged insulation about compartment 22. Bafile 36 has its upper outer edge spaced from the outer cabinet walls I to permit breathing of the chamber containing the insulation I5 into the chamber containing the bagged insula tion. Bagged insulation is also placed beneath liner 2| and pressed against the freezing evaporator coils 23. A water collecting device or means which forms the top wall of compartment M is provided in the present disclosure for a purpose to be hereinafter described. This collecting device or means includes a metal plate 31 located under the bagged insulation beneath compartment 22 which is hooked over a lip on trough 29 and secured, by screws 38, to a metal agar-23ers mum. as; Trough. carame- 'azpart oftthe water collecting: means; and; is; also'secured iby thesscrews 33z-to the edges of linen Id atrits-ropeni-topitroughi 39: extends around the sides and: the: back of; plateor partitioning member 31 and is providedwithone or more: openings-Mwabove ova-p oratorai 'l' to permit water receivodtherein; as will be presentlydescribed;. todrip onto: evaporator M and: into 1 the: trough 19. The: separate plate I 31 and: portions of trough: 39 along: the sides of cabinet-Hl may be inclined. in a-direction downwardly 'fromthe front of the cabinet-tof-the rear thereof to-augment thefiow of water toward'the outlet openings 4 I.

In a refrigerator of the type herein-disclosed the freezing evaporator 2-3 is intended to-atall vtimes:bemaintained below 32?. F. and should never be defrosted. Since. air from exteriallyof cabinet Iilwill infiltrate the insulating. chambersthereof moisture contained.- in the air wilL be drawn to the coldest surfaces within the insulation con:- taining chambers between the' linersand outer walls H of cabinet. l0. Thus any moist-urein air entering the chamber containing the unbagged baggedinsulatlon together with. that removed from thelower insulated; portion of cabinet ill will: find its way intocrevices or the like, at the point wherethebagsl'l overlap one another, to surfaces of the freezing evaporator 23 and liner 24-. This moisture will condense and freeze on such cold surfaces and also: on surfaces of the bags 21 adjacent thereto. In accordance with :my. invention Iconstructthepresent refrigerator in-such'r amanner that melting of the frostorice in: the packaged or bagged insulation! chamber willdo'no harm since-it is drained therefromand caused toflow to the exterior of the refrigerator cabinet. For example shouldtha temperatureof freezing. exaporator 23 rise above" 32 F. for any reason. to "cause. the frost or ice thereon, on liner 2| and on bags 21 to melt the water resulting therefrom will flow along the'bags, onto plate or partition member 3''! and from'baflie 36. into the .trough39: Thisswater will flow outof trough- 39 into compartment l-tby'way of the drain; hole M; providedin. trough 39; onto the frosting and defrosting evaporator; H- andithenceinto. the drip troughzlB. The water may flow from trough [9 down-- the inner surfaces :of; liner l2 toadrain opening? in the bottom wall of' compartment I4 to theexterior of cabinet l=.

Eromthe foregoing it should beapparent-that I have. provided animproved refrigerator cabinet while at the same time keeping the manufacturing cost-thereof as lowas possible-due to the fact that the porcelain enameled liner of the lower food compartment is terminated asubstantial distance belowthe. cabinet. outer. top wall. The construction and. arrangement. of elements in my improved refrigerator. prevents. the cabinet. from. becomingdamage'd and deteriorated should the freezing evaporator associated with the frozen 'food storage compartment be ac'-' cidentally defrosted from time to time: "'My*ar=- rangement provides an effective mannerof' removing defrost "water'fiom the cabinettothus s eliminate the possibility ofsuc'hwaterreacting with the insulating material in the cabinet and giving off stench. odors.

While the form of embodiment of the invention asherein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other: forms mightlbeadopt'edas may come within the scop'e ofi'the claims which follow;

What. is claimed is as'follows:

1. A refrigerator comprising, a cabinet having outer an open topmetal'liner spaced from said cabinet outer walls,v insulating material in the space between said cabinet outer walls and said liner, the open top of said liner being located asubstantial distance below the top walliof. said cabinet-and forming a food'- storage compartment in the lower portiorrof' said cabinet, means for refrigerating the interior of said lower? food com;- partment to a temperature above freezing; asec- 0nd metal liner above said open top linerspaced from: said cabinet outer walls and forming. a other food storage compartment in the upper portion of said cabinet, means forminga' plurality of. refrigerant evaporating passages about said second liner for cooling the interior of said arrother'food compartment to a temperaturebelow freezing, insulation in hermetically sealed: bag form in the space between said cabinet outer walls and said second liner pressed" against said refrigerant passage forming means,.- a plate spaced from the bottom of said-sec'ondliner form.- ing the topof said lower compartment, insulationinhermetically sealed bag fornrinthe space between the bottom of said'second liner and said plate pressed against said refrigerant passage forming means, means for supporting said plate from said open top liner, said last named means being in the form of a trough extending along edges of said plate,v said trough being adapted to'receive condensate water from the spaces in which said bagged insulation is-disposod; and means for directing Water received in saidtrough into said. lower food storagecompartment.

2. A refrigerator comprising, a cabinet having outer'walls, an opentopmetal liner spaced" from said cabinet outer walls, insulating material in the space between said cabinet 'OlltSlT-WQIIIS- and said-linergthe open top of said liner being located a substantial distance below the top wallof said cabinet and forming a foodstorage compartment. in thelower portion of said cabinet; means for refrigerating the interior or said lower food compartment to atemperature above freezing, a second metal. liner above said open top liner spaced-from?said'cabinet outer walls andforming another. food storage compartment in; the upper portion of said cabinet, means" forming apin-- rality of refrigerant evaporating passages about said second liner: for cooling the interior of: said another food. compartment. to a temperature below freezing, insulation in hermetically sealed bag form in the space'between cabinet: outer 'wallsand said second liner pressed againstsaitl refrigerant passage formingm'ean's, .a plate spaced fromthe'bottorn of saidseco'nd line'r forming the top ofsaid lower compartment, insulation in hermetically sealed bag form in the space between-thebottom of said second liner andsaid plate pressed against'said refrigerant passage forming means, a' bafile member attached-to the upper edge portion of said open top liner and extending upwardly'at an angle toward said cab inet outer walls, said bafile member being spaced from said cabinet outer walls to provides breather openings between the space: occupied. bya dier. in"? sulating material about said lower compartment and the space occupied by said bagged insulation, means for supporting said plate from said open top liner, said last named means including a trough extending around edges of said plate and adapted to receive condensate Water from the spaces containing said bagged insulation, and said trough being provided with an opening for directing water received thereby into said lower food storage compartment.

3. A refrigerator comprising, a cabinet having outer metallic walls, an open top metal liner spaced from said cabinet outer walls, unpackaged insulating material in the space between said cabinet outer walls and said open top liner, the open top of said liner being located a substantial distance below the top wall of said cabinet and forming a food storage compartment in the lower portion of said cabinet, means for refrigerating the interior of said lower food compartment to a temperature above freezing, a second metal liner spaced from said cabinet outer walls, bracket means for supporting said second liner above and upon said open top liner to provide another food storage compartment in the upper portion of said cabinet, means forming a plurality of refrigerant evaporating passages about said second liner for cooling the interior of said another food compartment to a temperature below freezing, insulation in hermetically sealed package form in the space between said cabinet outer walls and said second liner pressed against said refrigerant passage forming means, a metal plate spaced from the bottom of said second liner forming the top of said lower compartment, insulation in hermetically sealed package form in the space between the bottom of said second liner and said metal plate pressed against said refrigerant passage forming means, a metal trough secured to and extending along edges of said metal plate, said trough being secured to said open top liner to support said plate in its respective position, said trough being adapted to receive condensate water from the spaces in which said packaged insulation is disposed, and means for directing water received in said trough into said lower food storage compartment.

4. A refrigerator comprising, a cabinet having outer metallic walls, an open top metal liner spaced from said cabinet outer walls, unpackaged insulating material in the space between said cabinet outer Walls and said open top liner, the open top of said liner being located a substantial distance below the top wall of said cabinet and forming a food storage compartment in the lower portion of said cabinet, means for refrigerating the interior of said lower food compartment to a temperature above freezing, a second metal liner spaced from said cabinet outer Walls, bracket means for supporting said second liner above and upon said open top liner to provide another food storage compartment in the upper portion of said cabinet, means forming a plurality of refrigerant evaporating passages about said second liner for cooling the interior of said another food compartment to a temperature below freezing, insulation in hermetically sealed package form in the space between said cabinet outer walls and said second liner pressed against said refrigerant passage forming means, a metal plate spaced from the bottom of said second liner forming the top of said lower compartment, insulation in hermetically sealed package form in the space between the bottom of said second liner and said metal plate pressed against said refrigerant passage forming means, a baffle member attached to the upper edge portion of said open top liner and extending upwardly at an angle toward said cabinet outer walls, said baffle member being spaced from said cabinet outer walls to provide breather openings between the space occupied by the unpackaged insulation, means for supporting said plate from said open top liner, said last named means including a trough extending around edges of said plate and adapted to receive condensate water from the spaces containing said packaged insulation, and said trough being provided with an opening for directing water received thereby into said lower food storage compartment.

5. A refrigerator comprising, a cabinet having outer walls, an open top metal liner spaced from said cabinet outer walls, insulating material in the space between said cabinet outer walls and said open top liner, the open top of said liner being located a substantial distance below the top wall of said cabinet and forming a food storage compartment in the lower portion of said cabinet, means for refrigerating the interior of said lower food compartment to a temperature above freezing, a second metal liner spaced from said cabinet outer Walls and disposed above said open top liner to provide another food storage compartment in the upper portion of said cabinet, means for refrigerating the interior of said another food compartment to a temperature below freezing, insulation in the space between said cabinet outer walls and said second liner, a water collecting and conveying device spaced from the bottom of said second liner, insulation in the space between the bottom of said second liner and said device, said device including a metal plate portion separate from said liners and forming the top wall of said lower food compartment and a trough portion along at least one side of said plate portion, said trough portion of said device being secured to the upper edge part of said open top liner and supporting said plate portion of the device in its compartment top wall forming position, said plate portion of said device being adapted to receive condensate water from the exterior of said second liner and to convey the water into said trough portion, and the trough portion of said device having an opening therein for directing water received thereby into said lower compartment.

6, A refrigerator comprising, a cabinet having outer walls, an open top metal liner spaced from said cabinet outer Walls, insulating material in the space between said cabinet outer walls and said open top liner, the open top of said liner being located a substantial distance below the top wall of said cabinet and forming a food storage compartment in the lower portion of said cabinet, means for refri erating the interior of said lower food compartment to a temperature above freezing, a second metal liner spaced from said cabinet'outer walls and disposed above said open top liner to provide another food storage compartment in the upper portion of said cabinet, means for refrigerating the interior of said another food compartment to a temperature below freezing, insulation in the space between said cabinet outer walls and said second liner, a water collecting and conveying device spaced from the bottom of said second liner, insulation in the space between the bottom of said second liner and said device, said device including a metal plate portion separate from said liners and forming the top wall of said lower food compartment, a trough portion along at least one side thereof and a baffle portion, said baffle portion of said device being secured to the upper edge part of said open top liner and extending upwardly therefrom at an angle toward an outer wall of said cabinet, said trough portion of said device being secured to the upper edge part of said open top liner and supporting said plate portion of the device in its compartment top wall forming position, said plate portion and said baffle portion of said device being adapted to receive condensate water from the insulated spaces about said second liner and to convey the water into said trough portion, and the trough portion of said device having an opening therein for directing water received thereby into said lower compartment.

7. A refrigerating apparatus comprising, a cabinet having outer wall forming a chamber therein, said chamber presenting a forwardly directed access opening, a door normally closing said chamber access opening, an open top liner disposed in said chamber and spaced from said cabinet outer walls, insulating material in the space between said cabinet outer walls and said liner, the open top of said liner being located a substantial distance below the top wall of said cabinet and forming an unfrozen food storage compartment in the lower portion of said cabinet, a second liner disposed in said chamber above the open top liner and forming a frozen food storage compartment in the upper portion of said cabinet, said second liner being spaced from said cabinet outer walls, insulating material substantially filling the space between said cabinet outer walls and said second liner, means for supporting said second liner from the edges of the open top of said unfrozen food compartment forming liner, said frozen food compartment having an access opening facing said chamber door, a closure member within said chamber normally closing the access opening of said frozen food compartment, a partitioning member spaced below the bottom wall of said second liner, insulating material substantially filling the space between the bottom wall of said second liner and said partitioning member, said partitioning member also being supported from the edges of the open top of said unfrozen food compartment forming liner, means for refrigerating said frozen food storage compartment, means for refrigerating said unfrozen food storage compartment, a trough associated with said partitioning member and extending continuously along at least one side of said open top liner for receiving condensate Water from said partitioning member and from the insulated spaces about said second liner, and said trough having a discharge opening for directing water received therein into said unfrozen food storage compartment.

CLIFFORD l-I. WURTZ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,595,874 Nason May 6, 1952 2,613,509 Phillip Oct. 14, 1952 

